Hitch construction



March 19, 1968 J. A. GROVES 3,374,268

HITCH CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Oct. 22, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Z4 v /2f 2/36 38 James A Gro ves INVENTOK BY Maw, 25%

March 19, 1968 J, A GROVES 6 HITCH CONSTRUCTION Original Filed 06. 22,1965 2 Sheets-Sheet Fig. 8

James A. 6m Ves INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,374,268 HITCH CONSTRUCTION James A. Groves, 1850W. 9th St., Long Beach, Calif. 90813 Continuation of application Ser.No. 501,732, Oct. 22, 1965. This application July 5, 19 67,-Sei'. No.651,322 7 Ciaims. (Cl. 280-512) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sockethitch element with a forward end of a trailer tongue including acylindrical portion at the forward end of the tongue having a downwardlyfacing radial opening formed therein and with a cylindrical plug membersnugly telescoped into the cylindrical portion, which plug memberincludes a radially outwardly opening recess whose outer end isregistered with the opening and which is adapted to seatingly'receivethe ball portion of a ball hitch element inserted thereinto through saidopening, and a sleeve telescoped over the cylindrical end portion andincluding a circumferential slotwhose opposite ends are registrable withthe opening and are of wide and narrow dimensions adapted to passtherethrough the aforementioned ball portion and to snugly receive thereduced diameter shank portion of the ball hitch element, respectively.

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 501,732 filedOct. 22, 1965.

This invention relates to a novel and useful socket hitch constructionand more specifically toa socket hitch assembly adapted to be supportedfrom the forward portion of the tongue of a trailer and to removablyreceive therein a conventional bar hitch member of the type including adiametrically reduced shank portion.

Conventional socket hitch assemblies include body portions definingdownwardly opening sockets and provided with bifurcated clamping membersfor embracingly engaging the underside of the ball portion of a ballhitch member on opposite sides of the diametrically reduced shankportion of the ball hitch member and securing the ball hitch memberwithin the socket. Such bifurcated members are either screw or leveractuated and must be tightened after a short period of use in order toinsure that the associated ball hitch member is fully and snugly seatedwithin the corresponding socket. Further, manufacturing costs involvedwith the production of conventional hitch assemblies includingtheaforementioned bifurcated members are necessarily higher thanminimal.

Accordingly, it is the main object of this invention to provide a sockethitch assemblyadapted tobe utilized in connection with a conventionalball hitch memb'er and operableto fully seatingly receive anvassocia tedballhitch member upon its initial engagement with the socket hitchelement of the instant invention and including structural elements whichmay be readily manufactured at minimum cost to the manufacturer. I 3 fAnother object of thisiinvention' is to provide a second hitch elementincluding'novel means for releasably securing an associated harlhitchelement therein. v H Still another object of this invention, in.accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide lockingmeans for securing a ball hitch member in the socket hitch assembly ofthe instant invention which will be simple in construction and easytooperate. V Yet another object of this invention is to provide. asocket hitch assembly that may be readily adapted tofoperatively receiveball hitch elements having 'ball portions of varying diameters.

A final object of this invention robe s ecifically as;-

3,374,268 Patented Mar. 19, 1968 merated herein is to provide a sockethitch assembly in accordance with the preceding objects which willconform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple constructionand easy to use so as to provide a device that of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tongue portion of atrailer shown with the socket hitch assembly of the instant inventionoperatively mounted on and operatively engaged with a ballhitch membercarried by a supporting portion of a towing vehicle;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon a plane passing through the longitudinal center lineof the tongue portion illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is afragmentary transverse vertical sectional view takensubstantially upon a plane indicated by section line 33 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the assemblyillustrated in FIGURE 1 and with the locking portion of the socket hitchassembly of the instant invention shown in the unlocked position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section view takensubstantially upon a plane passing through the longitudinal center lineof the socket hitch assembly illustrated in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by section line 7-7 of FIGURE 6; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to FIGURE 2but illustrating the manner in which the socket hitch element may beadapted to receive a smaller ball hitch element.

Referring now more specifically to the drawing the numeral 10 generallydesignates a mounting portion of a towing vehicle to which aconventional ball hitch element 12 is secured. The mounting portion 10comprises an angle iron including a horizontal flange 14 apertured as at16 to receive therethrough the threaded shank portion 18 of the ballhitch element 12. The threaded shank portion 18 is secured through theaperture 16 by means of a conventional threaded fastener 20 and it maybe seen from FIGURE 2 of the drawings that the ball hitch element 12includes an upper generally spherical ball portion 22 and a lowerdiametrically reduced neck or shank portion 24 including a shoulder 26abutted against the upper surface of the flange 14 and supporting theball portion 22 from the threaded shank portion 18.

' The socket hitch element of the instant invention is generallyreferred to by reference numeral 28 and comprises the forward portion ofa conventional trailer tongue '30. The tongue 30 is defined by acylindrical member 32 and has a plug 34 secured in its forward end. Thecylindrical member 32 has an opening 36 formed therein which isregistered with a generally radial bore 38 formed in the plug 34 andincluding a generally semi-spherical inner end wall 40 defining a seat.

From FIGURE 2 of the drawings it maybe seen that the ball portion 22 ofthe ball hitch element 12 is snugly and seatingly receivable in the seat40 and that the ball portion 22 may be advanced into engagement with thebore 38.

A locking sleeve 42 is journaled on the end portion of the cylindricalmember 32 and an end wall 44 is secured to the end edges of thecylindrical member 32 and the plug 34, thereby stationarily positioningthe plug 34 in the cylindrical member 32, and serves to prevent thelocking sleeve 42 from being slid longitudinally off the end of thecylindrical member 3-2.

A thrust bearing sleeve 46 is secured to the cylindrical member 32 onthe side of the locking sleeve 42 remote from the end wall 44 andincludes a circumferentially extending notch 48 which opens toward theend wall 44. The locking sleeve 42 includes a circumferentiallyextending and axial projecting lug or projection 59 whosecircumferential extent is approximately 90 degrees less than thecircumferential extent of the notch 48 and which is disposed in thelatter. A locking lever 52 is hingedly supported from the locking sleeve42 by means of a hinge assembly 54 and is slotted on its free end as at56. A generally inverted U-shaped hasp 58 is secured to the cylindricalmember 32 and is receivable through the 7 slot 56 in the locking lever52 when the latter is disposed as illustrated in FIGURE 1 of thedrawings. In addition, the locking sleeve 42 includes acircumferentially extending slot 60 including one transversely enlargedend portion 62 and a narrow opposite end portion 64. The transverselyenlarged end portion 62 defines a circular opening which, when thelocking sleeve 42 is oscillated on the cylindrical member 32 to theposition illustrated in FIGURE of the drawings, is registered with theopening 36 and bore 38. The enlarged end portion 62 includessubstantially the same diametric dimension as the opening 36 and theouter end of the bore 38 and therefore the ball portion 22 of the ballhitch element 12 is receivable in the enlarged end portion 62 of theslot 60, the opening 36, and the outer end of the bore 38 when thelocking sleeve 42 is rotated to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 ofthe drawings. In this position rotation of the locking sleeve 42relative to the cylindrical member 32, the projection 50 is seated inone end of the notch 48. After the ball hitch element 12 has been seatedwithin the seat in the plug 34, the locking sleeve 42 may be rotatedfrom the position illustrated in FIG- URE 5 of the drawings to theposition illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings. This pivoted positionof the locking sleeve 42 is defined by engagement of the projection withthe other end of the notch 48 and allows the locking lever 52 to bepivoted from the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 of the drawings to theposition illustrated in FIGURE 1 of the drawings with the hasp 58received through the slot 56 and adapted to receive therethrough thehasp of a padlock or the like in order to lockingly secure the lockinglever 52 in the locked position illustrated in FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 2 of the drawings it may be seen that the narrow end portion64 of the slot embracingly engages the shank portion 24 to preventwithdrawal of the ball portion 22 from the plug 34.

In FIGURE 8 of the drawings there may be seen an adapter unit generallyreferred to by the reference numeral 70 defining a generally cylindricaltubular member 72 closed at one end by means of a semi-spherical endwall 74. The adapter unit 70 is snugly receivable in the bore 38 and isseatingly engageable with the sea-t 40 and further includes acircumferentially extending rib 76 seatingly receivable in acorresponding groove 78 formed in the cylindrical member 32 about theopening 86 to releasably secure the adapter unit 70 within the plug 34.Of course, because of the thickness of the wall of the adapter unit 70,the adapter unit 70 adapts the socket hitch assembly or element 28 toreceive the ball portion 80 of a smaller ball hitch element 82.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modificalions and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A socket hitch element including an elongated body provided with onehollow cylindrical end portion, a radial opening formed in said one endportion spaced from the terminal end thereof, a cylindrical plug memberaxially snugly telescoped into said one end portion and including agenerally radially outwardly opening recess whose outer end isregistered with said opening, said opening being adapted to pass theball portion of a ball hitch element therethrough and said recess beingadapted to seatingly receive said ball portion inwardly of saidcylindrical end portion with the reduced diameter shank portion of saidelement passing through said opening, and a sleeve telescoped over saidcylindrical end portion and journalled therefrom, said sleeve includinga circumferential slot formed therein with circumferentially spacedapart closed ends, said slot including first and second opposite endportions selectively registra'ole with said opening upon selectedoscillation of said sleeve relative to said cylindrical end portion, oneof said slot end portions being narrow and adapted to snugly embracinglyreceive said reduced diameter end portion therethrough and the other ofsaid slot end portions being wide and adapted to pass said ball portiontherethrough, an elongated arm pivotally secured at one end portion tosaid sleeve for rotation about an axis extending transversely of saidarm and said sleeve, the other end portion of said arm and elongatedbody including coaoting means releasably engageable with each other whensaid arm is disposed substantially parallel to said elongated body andsaid sleeve is in said second position thereof and operative to preventrotation of said sleeve toward said first position thereof.

2. The combination of claim 1 including an adapter unit for said bodyadapting the latter to be used in conjunction with a ball hitch elementincluding a ball portion smaller in diameter than the diameter of saidseat, said adapter comprising a generally cylindrical tubular memberclosed at one end by means of a semi-spherical end wall, saidcylindrical tubular member being snugly receivable in said recess withsaid end wall seated in said recess, said end wall defining a generallysemi-spherical seat adapted to snugly seatingly receive the ball portionof a conventional ball hitch member whose ball portion is smaller indiameter than the first mentioned ball portion.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the center lines of said openingand said recess intersect with the longitudinal center axis of saidcylindrical end portion.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said elongated body ishorizontally disposed and said arm, when said sleeve is in said secondposition thereof, is disposed on top of said elongated body and disposedat one side of said body when said sleeve is in said first positionthereof, said arm also serving as an eccentric weight for said sleevewhereby said sleeve will tend to remain, by gravity in said firstposition. i

'5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said terminal end of saidcylindrical end portion has a transverse end wall secured thereover,said plug abutting against and being secured to the inner end of saidend wall, said end wall projecting outwardly beyond the outer surfaceportions of said cylindrical end portion and comprising abutment meanspreventing axial withdrawal of said sleeve outwardly of said terminalend portion of said cylindrical end portion.

6 A socket hitch element for connectionwith a ball hitchielementcomprising a body provided with a cylindrical portion, a radiallyoutwardly opening recess in said body, said recess being adapted toseatingly receive the ball portion of the ball hitch element, and asleeve telescoped over said cylindrical portion and rotatably journalledthereon, said sleeve including a circumferential slot formed thereinwith circumferentially spaced apart closed ends, said slot includingfirst and second opposite end portions selectively registrable with saidrecess upon selected oscillation of said sleeve relative to saidcylindrical portion, one of said slot end portions being narrow andadapted to snugly embracingly receive the reduced diameter shank portionof the ball hitch element therethrough when the sleeve is in a firstposition to retain the ball portion of the ball hitch element in therecess, the other of said slot end portions being wide and adapted topass the ball portion of the ball hitch element therethrough when thesleeve is in a second position to enable the ball portion of the ballhitch element to pass into and be removed from the recess, an elongatedarm pivotally secured at one end portion to said sleeve for rotationabout an axis extending transversely of said arm and said sleeve, theother end portion of said arm and said body including coacting meansreleasably engageable with each other when said arm is disposedsubstantially parallel to said body and said sleeve is in said firstposition thereof and operative to prevent rotation of said sleeve towardsaid second position thereof.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said body is horizontally disposedand said arm, when said sleeve is in said first position thereof, isdisposed on top of said body and disposed at one side of said body whensaid sleeve is in said second position thereof, said arm also serving asan eccentric weight for said sleeve whereby said sleeve will tend toremain, by gravity in said second position, said cylindrical portion ofsaid body having an end wall rigid therewith, said end wall projectingoutwardly beyond the outer surface of said cylindrical portion andcomprising abutment means preventing axial withdrawal of said sleeveoutwardly of said cylindrical portion of the body, and coacting means onsaid body and sleeve limiting rotational movement of the sleeve to thefirst and second positions thereof, said coaoting means between said armand body including an upstanding lug rigid with the body, said lughaving an opening therethrough for receiving a lock, said arm having anopening therethrough receiving said lug when the sleeve is in its firstposition and the arm is substantially parallel to the said body wherebygravity will retain the arm engaged with the lug to prevent rotation ofthe sleeve to the second position even without a lock engaged with thelug.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,817,551 12/1957 Gieleghem287-90 2,848,253 8/ 1958 Walker 280-5 FOREIGN PATENTS 659,456 10/ 1951England. 734,682 10/1932 France. 1,340,713 9/1963 France.

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner.

J. SIEGEL, Assistant Examiner.

